Animal Species:Pseudophanes melanoptera Turner, 1940
This remarkable lichen moth is a close mimic of arctiid moths in the subfamily Ctenuchinae. For a long time the species was only known from the type series which was collected in 1906 by F.P. Dodd. Specimens were recently collected by David Rentz in Kuranda.
Lithosiinae Pseudophanes melanoptera male
D. Britton
© Australian Museum
Identification
A larger species with elongate dark wings with indistinct black markings in the cell of fore and hind wings. The abdomen and thorax has bright orange annuli (bands) of scales which resemble the markings seen in Amata spp. and other Ctenuchinae. It can be differentiated from these moths by wing venation.
Similar Species
Amata and other Ctenuchinae
Distribution
Kuranda and Cairns (QLD)
Distribution by collection data
Biomaps map of Pseudophanes melanoptera specimens from the Australian Museum database
Feeding and Diet
Larvae probably feed on lichens
Classification
- Species:
- melanoptera
- Genus:
- Pseudophanes
- Subfamily:
- Lithosiinae
- Family:
- Arctiidae
- Superfamily:
- Noctuoidea
- Order:
- Lepidoptera
- Class:
- Insecta
- Phylum:
- Arthropoda
- Kingdom:
- Animalia
Dr
Dave Britton
, Collection Manager, Entomology
Last Updated:
Tags lichen moth, Lithosiinae,
